The invention relates to tires that have improved rolling resistance while retaining good traction properties.
Conventionally tires are loaded with high surface area carbon black to provide good traction and good handling properties and a good cornering coefficient. A high level of fine carbon black, however, causes the tires to have a high hysteresis, which contributes to a high rolling resistance.
In the prior art, it is the general rule that improved traction can only be achieved by sacrificing rolling resistance, and rolling resistance can be improved only at the expense of traction.
In the conception of the present invention, it was proposed that if the level of carbon black was reduced, and the omitted carbon black was replaced with a filler material that reduced the hysteresis of the tread compound while maintaining stiffness, that rolling resistance could be improved, with only a slight or negligible change in traction.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a tire with improved rolling resistance, while traction is maintained.
Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and claims.